Greatest non-Finals teams to never win the NBA title this century
13. *2004-05 Indiana Pacers
The 2004-05 Indiana Pacers were primed to compete for a spot in the Finals after coming within two games the previous year before losing to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons.
Everything was going to plan to start the season, with the Pacers getting off to an East-leading 6-2 start. Their schedule then took them to Detroit for a nationally-televised barometer game against the Pistons.
Indiana was on its way to emerging with an encouraging 15-point victory with under a minute remaining. Not even 47 minutes was enough for the NBA to emerge from that game the way they unsuspectingly entered.
When the dust cleared, nine suspensions were handed out in what has come to be known as the Malice at the Palace. It was clear, though, that the Pacers would emerge far worse off than Detroit — rightfully so.
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136 games were lost on the Pacers side. Most notably Ron Artest, who was banned for the remainder of the season and playoffs. Stephen Jackson got 30 games. Jermaine O’Neal was given 25 — an appeal brought it down to 15.
The season-long loss of Artest was significant. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Artest was the linchpin of the third-best defense the year prior. He was also putting up 24.6 points a night before his suspension.
Without him, perhaps Indy’s best shot at a championship vanished. Unfortunate, given the talent of that team. After winning Most Improved honors in 2002, Jermaine O’Neal had further blossomed into a perennial All-Star center. Jackson averaged 18.7 points per game on the year.
The depleted Pacers still managed to stretch Detroit to six games in the second round. Who knows how they could’ve fared in the rematch and potential ensuing rounds had the team expected to compete for a title been at the strength it needed to do so.